High Score
Game on. The virtual vixen that grew up as the unwanted. Casey was thrown from foster home to foster home like a hot potato. The young girl who was all smiles couldn’t find a place to call home after being casted out by her father whom thought money was more important than the love of a child. Fated to be alone, the orphan seemed to refuse to let it get her down, arms always outstretched to strangers, giving them all her trust. A child worth cherishing, but never looked twice at, she became ‘too old’ for couples searching for a baby of their own, and as the years went by, all seemed lost for the innocent girl with the dimple in her left cheek and a penchant for games. But everyone deserves to be loved, and not everyone ends up on their own. By age fifteen, no one had come for her. She often left to walk upon the dirty streets, worn out dirty jeans and a ripped up cap turned backwards, she looked like the typical street rut, gutter living kids who caused much mayhem for the neighborhood, and thus was treated as such by the people she walked by. From a young age, Casey learned to toughen up, form a shell to keep all the horrors out; she refused to let a judgment passed by strangers make her think less of herself. But each night she ended up back at the orphanage, always alone, but always looking for an excuse to smile, and forget her troubles. As the lights went out, only the dull glow of her Gameboy filled the empty void for her. One day, an older couple whom already had an adopted daughter at age seven saw Casey alone in a corner, Gameboy in hand, hat tilted down to cover her features, wearing only a pair of faded jeans and a baseball tee that was too big for her. They decided then and there that she belonged with them. They spoiled her rotten and gave her more warmth than any home could contain. She felt safe, and for once had her own room. Clothing that fit, parents to hand her a packed lunch and lay a kiss on her forehead before sending her off to school. It was a dream come true for her. It was her eighteenth birthday that really changed her world into that of a chaotic mess. As she got older, living with this wonderful family, she found herself more immersed in her gaming world. Her adopted parents bought her gaming consoles, a computer, a new game in her hands each week. Spare change was brought to her room for her regular arcade outings, and her parents never judged her or tried to sway her to take interest in something else. If anything, they helped increase her addiction to the screen, controller glued to her palms. For her big birthday party to celebrate her becoming an adult, they went to the local arcade she practically lived at, the whole night spent with Casey in front of a machine, joystick in hand. It was typical of Casey to block things out around her when ‘in the zone’, so no one thought different when she refused to respond to their shouts, or when she practically leaned herself into the game. Only the rapid snaps of the joystick being violently yanked about and the loud buzz that made everyone wince caught the crowd’s attention. And only Casey’s wide, never blinking eyes, glazed over as they mirrored the screen gave her parents and younger sister a start. But then all went dark as a power surge hit, lights and games shutting off, leaving the crowd in darkness. But without a second’s pause, the lights came back on. With Casey gone, the Ms. Pac Man game shaking. Her sister rushed to the screen, and as she got up on her tippy toes to peer inside, a scream left her parted lips. Inside the game laid Casey, but only it wasn’t her. It was something more. Freak out. Being sucked into a video game and trapped in a virtual world for a week isn’t an average person’s definition of a vacation. After escaping the land of pixels and circuitry, Casey… well. Casey wasn’t Casey anymore, and everyone knew it well enough, including herself. Silky snow white hair that brushed the dimples on her lower back, neutral, smooth grey skin that covered every inch of her body, and electronic irises with a pupil that glowed blue. Though if it were merely just the outside of her that had changed, becoming accustomed with the new her wouldn’t have taken such a toll on the women who had to deal with too much in one lifetime. But no, on the inside, to Casey, she was all wrong. Neon green sparks would dance across her form as an emotion spiked, extra strength the poor young lady couldn’t control, causing her to often break things she touched, and a constant connection that sang through her blood to the digital world that had made her its prisoner. In a world so cold, Casey was alone once more. The people she had at one time called friends would flinch away from her as she approached. The murmurs and whispers were something she couldn’t escape. Casey was now a monster, a freak in a world that didn’t tolerate them unless they wore tights and a mask. Her only solace; the young child who was her little sister, who accepted her no matter what, who reached up with her delicate hands, simply wanting a hug. But Casey couldn’t, her fear of injuring the innocent child a strong possibility with her new strength she couldn’t control. A walking disaster that hid herself from the world she craved, Casey could do nothing but lock herself away in her disaster of a room that had been on the receiving end of Casey’s lack of control over her new form. It was a quiet day. Tragedy always struck on quiet, calm days. A black hoodie to cover her head and hair, skin tight worn out skinny jeans, black converse, and a pair of aviators as her little sister forced her out into the world for a stroll on that sunny morning. Hand in hand, that walked along the empty sidewalk into a crowded shopping strip full of clothing stores, bakeries, and every imaginable treat for a little child. There was rarely the pass of a car, only the sounds of never ending chatter filling the air as an old woman by herself walked past the pair. Her little sister wouldn’t stop humming to herself, making Casey scowl as she tried to gather all her patience. The only thought in her head; I want to get out of the public eye, but her sister would have none of it, and for the first time since her ‘accident’, her mother actually wanted Casey to go out with her little sister. Alone. As the woman began to cross the street, she felt her little sisters tiny fingers tighten around her own as she let out a soft gasp. With a frown, she glanced down just as she felt the tiny girl tear out of her grasp and run towards the street. With a shout, Casey took off after her, uncaring that her hood fell back to reveal the freak show she was, catching every set of eyes around them. A small sports car was making its way down the road, never slowing down a bit, and it was heading straight for the old woman… and her sister. Casey screamed out for her as electricity burst from her form, arm extended, but she wouldn’t make it in time, didn’t know how to use the powers she was given. She couldn’t do a single thing, and with all this power running through her veins, Casey felt helpless, and defeated. Her younger sister reached the old woman, and gave her a harsh shove seconds before the car made impact, sending the vulnerable little girl flying. Then silence. Nothing can prepare you for death, nothing can ease you into the realization that you’ve just lost the only person in the world who accepted you for you, and loved you with all their little being. And nothing could prepare you for seeing their death, and knowing that death was caused by the most selfless act that you have ever seen. When asked why she became a hero, the only thought that ran through High Score’s head was that scene forever stuck in her mind. That if her little sister could give up her life for a single weak old woman, why couldn’t she do the same for the world? Beat my High Score. The console. Known Abilities: Electricity: High Score's abilities have many branches. Her most used and known ability is her control over electricity, but what branches off that is her super strength that comes from her channeling/gathering electricity in her fists. Digitalized: Along with her control over electricity comes her constant connection to the digital world that took her hostage, and transformed her into what she is today. With a link that goes deep into the core of her, she is able to access this dimension through the means of technology around her. Some examples; Computers, televisions, cellphones, anything with a live feed she can use to access her new home world and use it to create pixelated objects for her to use, like a giant Ms. Pac man or a whoopee cushion, though they don't last too long. She is also able to use the digital world to travel around the world, from computer to computer, television to television. She could randomly pop out of your cellphone screen at the beach wearing her neon green bikini. Gadgets: High Score is well known for her love of gaming, and incorporating that into her fighting. Ms. Pac Man explosives, a game boy that turns into a long, slim metal rod for fighting, an iPod that turns into a stun gun. She just loves to incorporate every day gadgets into weapons! Though not every gadget she uses is like that, but… I would be careful when rummaging through her purse. Known Weaknesses: Battery life: High Score has to have access to the digital dimension that created her new form, for she 'recharges' there, and if away from it too long, she could become too weak to move, maybe even die. Overcharged: When High Score uses too much of her power at once, she becomes overcharged, her body becoming a ball of living electricity for but a few moments before all her energy is sapped from her, leaving her as weak as a baby for the next twenty four hours. Water: Though she is able to be in it; girl needs to shower, she can't be in water for too long or her electricity begins to get a bit uncontrollable, like when technology that is plugged in is in water. Herself: High Score loves a good fight, and is extremely head strong, often rushing into a battle without thought, which definitely gets her in trouble. Often putting her in a situation that is way over her head. Cheat codes. Personality: There are a few sides to Casey, and depending on who you are and how close you are to her, it's a mystery as to which side you'll see. Naturally, Casey tends to close herself off and become aloof, often purposefully holding up the presence of not wanting to be bothered or interacted with. A bit of a loner with trust issues that flow deeply, it's rare to see her take the first step in any interaction. But as you delve deeper, you begin to see the real side of Casey, which is a complete goofball. Sarcasm is her calling, and though she can be extremely witty, she's often more of an airhead, her view on life oddly still a bit naïve, even with her history. She's extremely clueless when it comes to other people, as she spent most of her life alone and in her own company; she doesn't do well in social situations, and simply can't take a hint when it comes to men showing interest, she simply doesn't see herself as desirable. In her mind, she'll always be one of the guys. Aside from this, Casey is known to pick her friends without said 'friend' realizing it, and in the end they have no choice in the matter. She becomes very protective of people she considers friends, as it is a rare thing for her. The crew: Friend/Foe Friend/Foe Friend/Foe Friend/Foe Friend/Foe Friend/Foe Filler: Note. Note. Note. Note. Note. Soundtrack: "Don't You" by I Fight Dragons"Danger! High Voltage!" by Electric Six"Grow Up" by Random "Brick by Boring Brick" by Paramore "The Arcade" by Hyper Crush "M.A.D" by Hadouken "Renegade" by (Hed) PE "Human After All" by Daft Punk